Lovesick
by Vickatronic
Summary: After the kiss Bernie turns up to work with a hangover from hell..
1. Chapter 1

Bernie couldn't stop being sick. Her shift started an hour ago and she'd spent most of that time running to and from the toilet much to Raf's amusement.

"Heavy night?" he asked with a knowing grin on his face.

"You don't know the half of it" was all Bernie could muster by way of response.

After sharing a passionate kiss with Serena, the brunette had busied herself checking on Fletch and then explaining that she had to rush back to Jason. Bernie had seen it then, they would be pretending that the kiss never happened, so she drank until she couldn't remember it. If she was honest with herself she couldn't remember very much. She knew she'd ended up in a gay bar in town because there was a receipt in her jacket pocket and she remembered being sick at some point during the night but otherwise it was a blur. The only silver lining was the fact that her current state was providing Raf with some amusement on an otherwise gloomy day.

"Follow me Ms Wolfe" he beckoned as he headed towards the empty side room.

"There's no patient in there" she pointed out as they walked.

"Precisely! Jump up on the bed."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but you're not really my type." The grin between the pair of them was quick to disperse as a wave of nausea overwhelmed Bernie once more and Raf hurried around the room in search of a sick bowl.

"If Serena knew I was doing this she'd have my guts but I can't have you walking around like a zombie today." The Scottish doctor had admimisterd an anti-emetic and attached Bernie to a dextrose drip. "I'll shut the blinds. Give that 30 minutes to run through. Maybe get some sleep." He gently squeezed her hand before slipping out to get back to work. Ms Wolfe was normally nothing but professional and he knew she was upset about Fletch so he was only too happy to help her out. Serena was due in shortly so he'd cope.

Approaching the doors to AAU, Serena's heart was beating out of her chest. She hadn't stopped thinking about the kiss all night. She'd even dreamt about Bernie when she'd eventually got to sleep and she had no idea how to play it. Bernie was attractive there was no doubt about it but Serena had always just thought she knew that in a purely subjective way, in the same way as she could see and appreciate that any number of women were attractive. Yet when the blonde had kissed her it lit a fire in her that she hadn't felt in a long time. Since her first time with Edward if she was being honest with herself. She'd kissed other women during her student days, on nights out or during games of truth or dare. On one particular night things had even gone a bit further with one of her friends but it was just experimenting and she'd never thought of herself as bisexual yet here she was, with butterflies, thinking about Bernie.

The door buzzed as her staff card released the lock lifting her out of her reverie and she stepped through it. Immediately Raf looked up to attract her attention. "Morning Serena, can we have a quick chat in your office?"

"Walk and talk, is this about Fletch?"

"In a sense…" He waited for the office door to swing shut before continuing. "It's Bernie. I think she's blaming herself. She hit the bottle pretty hard last night. She's not stopped being sick since she got here."

A strong feeling of guilt rested at the pit of Serena's stomach. This wasn't about Fletch, this was because she'd pushed Bernie away.

"Where is she? We'll get her on some fluids."

"I'm glad you said that because I'm a little bit ahead of you. She's in the side room on a drip and I gave her an anti-emetic injection."

"Thanks, are you OK if I go and check on her?"

"Absolutely" Raf responded but Serena was already on her way.

Entering the side room Serena smiled, hearing the soft snores coming from the poorly surgeon. On closer inspection she noticed the cold sweat of a hangover from hell glistening across her forehead and a used sick bowl lying to the side of her. Serena picked it up and disposed of it, bringing a clean one across. The noise woke Bernie and seeing who was in the room the mortification set in.

"I need to get back to work." She sat up and started removing the cannula from her own arm.

"Let me do it." Serena placed a hand on Bernie's forearm and couldn't fail to notice the goosebumps. Neither of them moved then Serena began to lean in and Bernie quickly moved her face out of her path. She saw the confusion etched on her friend's face.

"If you want to see what I taste like after this morning then be my guest but believe me I wouldn't recommend it."

"Ah yes, gin never tastes as good the next morning." The two women managed to share a laugh over their current situation but it's short lived.

"Was last night because of me?" Serena asked tentatively.

Bernie sighed as she gathered her thoughts. Serena hated lies but she knew that this was going to sting.

"You, Fletch, Alex, Marcus, the kids. I needed to forget but yes I wanted to forget our kiss most of all. Fearless you said, last night I was terrified. I was sure that you'd hate me, that you might even report me. I love this place, as much as I never thought I would, I feel at home here and I really like you. Maybe it'd be easier to say the kiss happened because we were both upset about Fletch but honestly since the first moment I saw you I've wondered what it'd feel like to kiss you."

"That's quite a speech Ms Wolfe. I'm sorry I ran off and that you did this to yourself as a result. The kiss was lovely. It made me tingle in a way I haven't for a long time. I've never labelled myself as bisexual but I'm not against seeing where this goes. One condition though - no more hangovers on shift."

"Deal!"

Bernie slowly stood up from the bed and allowed Serena to put a comforting arm around her. "I really was an idiot last night, I fear I may have called Alex in the wee hours of the morning."

"What did you say?"

"If memory serves I told her about our kiss and that I was moving on and less than gently suggested she did the same. I think I made her cry."

Serena could see the hurt and panic etched in to Bernie's face. "She's a big girl. She'll be OK."

"I think she'll go back to the Army. Due to the IED incident they allowed her to put things on hold in much the same way I have."

"Maybe it's for the best." Serena knew she was being selfish but equally thought that was probably what her friend and potential future lover needed to hear.

Somehow they managed to get through the shift without any further incident. Fletch was recovering well and now conscious, chatting up the nurses and giving Bernie a hard time about choosing the night he was lying in hospital for a proper drink as he was calling it.

As both women gathered their bags and coats Serena made a bold move.

"Come back to mine? I'll run you a bubble bath and we can order pizza?"

It sounded heavenly but Bernie was nervous that she'd read things wrongly and make a fool of herself. As if reading her mind Serena clarified "Jason is out until 11, I have the place to myself and I'd love to play nurse." The audible moan that escaped Bernie's lips at that final comment made Serena even more sure that she wanted this and she needed it.


	2. Chapter 2

Snuggled up on the sofa in a borrowed pair of Serena's pyjamas and with a belly full of pizza Bernie was content. After her late night and morning of being ill she was totally wiped and beginning to fall asleep against Serena.

"Come on then soldier, let's get you to bed" said her nurse for the evening switching off the tv and getting up. "I've got a spare toothbrush in the medicine cabinet and help yourself to anything else you need." Serena quickly tidied up for Jason coming home while Bernie got ready for bed. Partly because Jason would be stressed out by the mess but if she was being honest with herself she was nervous about getting into bed with the other woman.

"Are you coming up?" Bernie called from the landing and Serena appeared at the foot of the stairs biting her bottom lip. She slowly headed up to join her soon to be lover. She opened her bedroom door and gestured for Bernie to go in and make herself comfortable. Bernie heard the bathroom door click shut as she wandered across the room taking it all in. There was a family photo on the dressing table, Serena, Jason and Eleanor at the park. She noticed the pile of books at one side of the bed and guessing that's where Serena sleeps she slipped round the bed to the other side. Leaving the pyjamas on for the time being despite knowing that she'd be far too hot she lifted the duvet and got into Serena's bed. The thought made her giggle. She'd run through this scenario so many times in her head.

"How do you want to play this?" Serena asked as she entered the room. In order to deal with the nerves she'd decided to be pragmatic about the whole thing but the question just made Bernie laugh.

"How do I want to play this? You sure know how to woo a girl." Bernie mocked between giggles. "Come here." She reached out to Serena who got on the bed and climbed over to her, Bernie noticing her breasts, now bra-less, swaying slightly with the movement. Serena allowed Bernie to pull her up against her. "Serena, we don't have to do anything. Talk to me, why are you so nervous?"

Feeling herself blushing Serena tried to pull away but Bernie held her firmly. "It's really stupid but I'm scared I won't be any good."

Bernie nuzzled the brunette's neck before whispering in her ear "don't ever worry about that, we'll get to know each other's bodies, I just need you to touch me." The blonde's breath caught in her throat and Serena's lips collided with hers. The desperation in Bernie's voice had done things to Serena. Her heart was racing and suddenly she knew exactly what she was doing.

Their post-coital bliss was interrupted at 11pm on the dot when Jason arrived back. Normally Serena would have still been up watching TV or looking over some paperwork so Jason went up to her room to debrief her on his chess club instead. Without giving it a second thought he opened the door without knocking finding his auntie and her new lover in a sleepy, sweaty tangle of limbs.

"Auntie Serena why's Bernie in your bed? Do neither of you have clothes on?" They'd both jumped awake on hearing Jason's voice and pulled the duvet up higher to protect what was left of their dignity.

"Jason you need to knock before you come into my room."

"OK, but why's Bernie in your bed?

"She's staying over tonight Jason. Sorry I should've told you. Can we catch up on chess club in the morning?"

"I suppose so. It smells funny in here." The last comment made Bernie laugh before Serena quickly elbowed her to shut up.

"Goodnight Auntie Serena, goodnight Bernie."

As soon as he left Bernie crumpled into fits of giggles repeating "it smells funny in here" between fits. Even Serena saw the funny side. "Do you think he's really oblivious or just trying not to make it awkward?" she asked once Bernie had composed herself.

"It's hard to tell but I don't think it'll phase him either way. He's a good kid, if you're happy and it doesn't interfere with his routine I don't think there'll be a problem. Enough about Jason, I've got you all to myself until 8am tomorrow, let's make the most of it." Bernie gently kissed Serena on the lips before wrapping her arms around her and letting them both drift off into a contented sleep.

Serena's alarm woke them at 6.30am and she quickly switched it off but she couldn't roll back over into her sleeping position as the spot was now occupied by Bernie. "Looks like you're going to have to lie on top of me" she said with a cheeky smile. It wasn't long before they both gave into their desires and Serena was crying out in ecstasy when there was a loud banging at the door.

"Auntie Serena! Are you OK?" Jason was yelling and clearly worried.

"Don't shout Jason, give us a minute. I'm fine."

Reluctantly Serena got up, threw on a robe and opened the door.

"I heard you cry out, I didn't know what to do."

"I think you and I need to have a chat." They moved to Jason's bedroom and sat on his bed. "Jason, Bernie and I, we have become more to each other than just friends. Remember when Allan had a girlfriend?"

"Yes, she used to stay with us sometimes."

"Well Bernie is going to stay with us sometimes."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Yes I suppose she is." Serena smiled to herself at the realisation.

"And the shouting?"

"Bernie wasn't hurting me Jason, we were having sex."

"When Allan's girlfriend used to stay over I wore ear plugs. I will need to get some."

"So you're OK with this?"

"Allan said that sex is important when 2 people love each other. It keeps them happy and healthy." Serena smiled at how simple everything was for Jason. "Will Bernie be staying over tonight?"

"You can ask her at breakfast."

"How did he take it?" Bernie asked as Serena returned to her bedroom.

"Exactly as you predicted. He didn't bat an eyelid and told me he'll need to get ear plugs." That set Bernie off on another laughing fit.


End file.
